Purpose: 1) To bring together people interested in scientific data in the Boulder, Colorado area for the purpose of sharing ideas and information, and 2) to guage interest in this group and discuss its future.

5:15 The Role of Standards for Data and Metadata, byTed Habermann and Dave Fulker

A hallmark of science in the Internet age has been the increasing importance of means for exchanging digital data. Indeed the significance is so great that Turing Award winner Jim Gray dubbed this data-intensive pattern the "Fourth Paradigm of Science." Tightly linked with effective data exchange is a critical need for standards such that data providers and data users are, in essence, talking the same language. The authors will cover two aspects of this need: 1) Habermann will discuss important progress, international in scope, on standards for metadata (i.e., information about data) that are being widely adopted; 2) Fulker will discuss software and protocols that have, through patterns of use, served to significantly standardize the mechanisms for data exchange, including how complex data structures are digitally represented and serialized.

6:15 Dinner

6:45 Business meeting: Group Planning, Goals

7:30 End

8:00 Building vacated

Dinner and beverages will be provided. Thanks to the Foundation for Earth Science for the food! Please RSVP to Anne Wilson so the appropriate amount of food can be ordered.

LASP is located on the University of Colorado's East Campus Research Park. A map and directions are available on the LASP locations page. The building sits just off Colorado Avenue, immediately adjacent to CU's new, very large biotechnology building that is currently under construction. Look for the tallest cranes in town, we're next door to the East. Free parking is available.

Please note that we will need to lock our front doors at 7:00 PM. If you need to arrive after that, please contact Anne Wilson to make alternative arrangements.